Wire twining machine



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 22 1951 n w; m m G A i E 1.

April 27, 1954 E. cooK WIRE TWINING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 22, 1951 INVENTOR 74W @666 of the inner tube it, and at a point outside of the tube i i, tube it has fixed to it a drive pulley l? th function of which will be described herein after. At the rear end of the outer tube it is fixed a drive pulley Hi by means of which tube it is rotated, drive pulley it being connected by a belt l9 to a pulley 23 on the drive shaft.

At the forward end of the inner tube It the latter has fixed to it a bushing 2i with a flaring mouth 22 which provides a support for the strand as it is directed outwardly to the outer end portion of the flier arm F. Beyond the bushing 25 in a forward direction the outer tube member H1 is cut away at two points in its circumference, as indicated at 23, and the strand, in passing laterally to the flier arm, extends through one of these portions. Beyond the cut-away portions 23 the member i l has a forward extremity 2d engaged by bolts 25 that secure member id rigidly to a solid shaft member or stub that has a function that will appear hereinafte'. fhe flier arm F has adjacent its outer end or tip a pulley 2'? over which the strand is reeved, and the arm l in the form shown is constituted by a having longitudinal members 28 and transverse members 28. The flier arm is curved, preferably as shown in Fig. 3, so that its radially outer end is disposed forwardly of that part which is adjacent the tubular member Hi.

As will be apparent from Fig. 3, for example, the main part of the flier arm is located to one side of the tube it, but there is an extension at the opposite side of the tube which is somewhat shorter than the main part and serves to mount a suitable counterweight 3i, which balances the main part of the arm. The extension as well as the main part of the arm is provided with a number of transverse members or bars 29, and the counterweight SI may be mounted in a convenient manner between the bars 29 that are farthest from the center of rotation. The flier arm is rotatable by the rotation of the tube inasmuch as the arm is fixed to this tube in a suitable manner, the region of connection being between what is the uppermost bar of the extension 3E! (Fig. 3) and the lowermost bar of the main part of the arm. It will also be apparent that in this form the strand passing through the member Hi extends between the two lowermost bars of the main part of the arm (Fig. 3) and to the pulley 2?, which pulley is mounted in the space between the end bar of the arm and the next adjacent bar.

The part of the stub shaft to which the right-hand end (Fig. 4) of the tube it is connected is rectangular in cross-section, and is received within a rectangular recess provided in the flier arm by the side members of the arm and the two adjacent transverse bars. In the form shown here, the connection between the flier arm and the rectangular part of the stub shaft 25 comprises members such as screws 32 (Fig. '7) which extend through the side bars of the arm and into said rectangular part. It will be understood that by this construction the arm is securely locked to the tube Hi so as to be rotated thereby.

The stub shaft 28 extend forwardly from the arm and is surrounded by an anti-friction bearing 33 having an inner race that is fixed to the stub shaft and an outer race that is revoluble about the stub shaft, the outer race being fixedly held in a cup-like member 3 that is fixed in a suitable manner, as by fastening screws, to a leg 36 of a supporting bracket 3'? that has the dual function of supporting the second supply spool G for rotation and supporting a pulley about which the strand from the second spool is reeved. The second spool G is supported from the bracket 3? by reason of the fact that the vertical leg 35 of the bracket has an extension 38 beyond the center of rotation of the tube i i, to which extension 38 an arbor 39 is secured. The arbor extends forwardly from the extension 33 and the spool G is rotatably mounted on this arbor. A suitable tensioning device is usually employed in connection with the spool G, and in the form shown this comprises a brake drum iii rotatable about the arbor but in fixed relationship to the spool, said brake drum being acted upon by a brake band ll that can be tightened or loosened by manipulation of thumb screws 62. The spool G can be readily placed in position upon the arbor 3% by rolling the spool up onto a ramp 53 associated with the bed of the machine, after which the spool, upon slight lifting thereof, can be shifted rearwardly into position over the arbor. After the spool has been placed in position in this manner, a retaining member 5 is suitably fixed on the free end of the arbor, which retaining memebr is provided with a forwardly extending arm 45 provided with a terminal guide loop 56. The free end of the strand G on the spool is guided over a pulley 4? associated with the horizontal leg of bracket 31 and is led through the eye 46 and to the guide H and the take-up drum 1. The pulley 4? on the bracket 31 is preferably subject to the action of a coil spring 38. The pulley body in which the pulley i'l is mounted is slidable in a forward and rearward direction on a guide rod ifl and the spring 48 surrounds this rod forwardly of the pulley body. The spring 4t acts to prevent the pulley from being pulled forwardly to too great an extent by the strand, and the spring also has a certain cushioning action, male ing the take-off from the spool smoother than it would otherwise be.

The take-up drum I has about two turns of the twisted wire in engagement with its outer surface. Ihis drum is mounted on and driven by a cross shaft 19 mounted in bearings in a frame extending upwardly from the bed. On one end of this shaft i9 is a gear 59 engaging an adjustable idler gear 59, which in turn is engaged by a drive pinion 52 on a cross shaft 53. The shaft 53 is driven by bevel gearing, as shown in Fig. 2, from a short longitudinal shaft 54 that is driven by a belt and pulleys from the drive shaft B.

As will be observed from Figs. 1 and the tubular guide H is in approximate alignment with the axis of the hollow shaft zructure E and is preferably at a level such that the twisted product is conducted to and passes over the top of the drum I. From the drum I the twisted product is directed upwardly to a pulley 55 mounted on a post 56, and from the pulley 55 it passes downwardly to the receiving spool J, spool J being mounted on one end of a cross shaft 5? and driven by a belt and pulleys from the cross shaft 49.

In. the operation of the machine, the takeup drum 1' exerts draft or pull on both of the strands so as to pull them through the guide H, and the cross shaft 5'! drives the receiving spool J so as to reel up the twisted wire. As the strand from the spool G is drawn to and into the guide H, the rotary flier lays the first strand around the second and forms the twist of the strand. The flier rotates about an axis which is somewhat above the axis on which the second spool arm is roteteti by; t5

shaft member. The Y rote'ti nof,

ber inasmuch thele tter ed in member l4 Jay-the anti ltetion of {the flier arm (lenses of twisting effect l'wl'low shaft structure. may, under some;eohditib'fisgbe a tenden'cyto may be readily oyercorn in: row member 13s iclesirable or 'zreeessary tQ' 10,1;

er as s own is. example guide deviceI-Lin this'ferm consl the arm is in th lowerdottejd li 5i rotates; TheWQ eher -the :eeeq ezispgeliiispene tereci: a vpoint sqm ha beln wg hez rqtatien o.f-;the1e.1im, .theb ppqr w .eihe; ec.- Qn spool bein moyab y rt cal ren e se ane W h-theatre 9 .efl e erm ta Divot u h d wnward-1 BX ndin m mberon wh the sec $1 9 susn qr ee ennqt :be d sla ed to n prr s i blezex n n- ;.r ane b e vo e. w ht Fir-2 1$; serqnd fiDQ- L. w h a a l ti s ho s he bmp .subs eet e r o r ghe ee 9n shew-n; ie-:3-;:.', i u & e f t ve; an q v nie esunn rt or See ed s qo r sinroride. z menner uch-tha a d cenr e -rsb a en qirt i sne to be twistedwith he being teke'n,pfiv frv om the etrw c i e etirely X l 7' In thefleperQtionef thermach' w f it fix r 19. 39 t e-Wire 93 eon'nts is being priltedi fbrwardly th-reughthe j err mte has no eifect'in rdtating the infier tubule'r memm er; 1 1 m cti n-" b'ear ings H wet'erjthe ro- -2l..c ertairi amount -.be, .exerted Lupon that permponem passi .thrbugh the TFolfllthis "reason there tion of the wireco build up an ob'j'e 'cti'oilable,a'meunt cite/ ist of thewir'e component/within: t eme ber 61 This e; hows y by impart.-

which is counterjto t ir qng; effect; 1 If it is hisge 'crossed'enqless drive belt N ay be pl aced in apqsitibn be tween the pulley 'HJ end a eprresppnding I pulley "IT? on the drive sha ftBi as indie 't er; in Figs.

' 1 2 nd 5-" ni'fi 'iS mann v i 25 1 1 161 tQ'overwvl lilefthe s'trarrds pas's th ifqughf be; guide; device H; one Qf'the str ar'l qs pass'irw into -v-ice substantially in the axis or the gu de d t we @Miefiener the other stre njd beingsubjeet tq i h l d r d t eni c e angl tethefirst steers; tubular we e rr b fi j mirerte r10 a Winding aew an desir bl f tine' f ect 'i hthe wire ij n en n whi i ib hollow shaftstrueture E. I 5 nd toQ he saidstrand ssesemeuy 0 rreererrr I91: theiflierie m issdrireh fromjionemndeend the other end is a prei tjng en tingebeyQnd t e -rbear r; es--; olsear r .h

, arm, nd the d ehe ts u e l iier'i -rentinued member car ryih er. t e; 19 w l axisw ti n e e bo It-is neted thet n the grm 5hQW11;- the ibase pm' nbflth fiwr arm: irremwarlmf he: see- Vo sm l; an that Efrem;- theas r s me-the r 1-Qu e-= era e ly r he Yer i.c e tud nal Pl e so ha her eyr e oi ted N 'i'i sj ti omaina; ertical tr nsve se iplene e net m eh he b dy; er th pool, and approximately ppposite trhe;takeoif device that is sup Port d y eaho zontal lee: oft e ee setfi 1.; t wi l ls eno tha the"st n ar ss ne;rol wardly from the pulley 47 to the guideeye 451mm p r xi e. r le m "t t at-portion pr h other strend-ithetee s 1 1 the eys?! tor'th guide H wh n he oper tiqn i in the ewe eihex c rv n o a id sh nevo ith g n r lly redia} twisting; arm is; so shallow that I the, arm occupies very little. spape. lengthwise ef the ma- Chine. f 1 The flier is--one*ofyerysimphfolfmend the short-extensionthereof whieh carries the qounterweight provides fer pieetbalanc n rs that there is no o-bjectio nablevibratio V he sae; ereme qribeds s of e r lr mrle n ne pen vest uctu e, end the n ce sary op rat n "sanebe" car ed, o t v ry e enie l I Th wre mende r neement iie ewn sr Q r isuelrt etthe s oolrcen b leee f nr sitro m1 ep a ,d 1-quick1y a 9 $3fi ly- :1 2; Eemhen e pi h of the twist-in .thewire; it ,is simplynece N yltqsubstitgte e -gear; of; the necessary siz for; h gegr--;52; rr;s ha5ft-'53, the idler gear; fik-being s ifteqhsg -a s- .-t o accommodate the substitute gear. The gearing is easily-acces- Sible I0 ineeu h:Qhanee eescwi111vbe apper- 2 i end;-2,--,- l" r V Owingto the nature (if-the mechanism; thesu10- porting fra me orfibed-joy-the machine can-be in- X s fil i nst uct d .-Qf ;-'r a:t y ;l..iehtw ieht m 1 v Various changes may be made, in-the @rganization of parts end i n;; the-details; of: construction ithoutdeparture mm; th principles-0f 'tl e'irrve b he.copeofthe leims; a whatIcl-aimisz r Lin-a mecrhinesucheas described; av guide for intertwisted. wire, straindsri'me'an's" for pulling the strands "through zthe't-gu-ide-, a support for e rotatable lsupplyrspoel .on' which one of: said strands is reeled and-from whihathe strand is'condizc'ted to saidguide;-a"1'otai'y'tubu1erehft'fthrbugh which te'seidgi iee tra svrsely bf the and extendihein -a;air 7 axis of "said side '01, b'alaiicec't'tw istin' g erni mug-h which we "we e einree i w re tl leretofplqeverfwh s'aj d stra nd passes di reetly to said guide 211d t b e er1s sm exten ng Y pbltidn' 'Of' $21161 'twisfifi if '7 IDEBJBAblB seennd slrpplsa s carrying a strand that is pulled off of said second spool and delivered to said guide.

2. In a machine such as described, a guide for intertwisted wire strands, means for pulling the strands through the guide, a support for a rotatable supply spool on which one of said strands is reeled and from which the strand is conducted to said guide, a rotary tubular shaft through which said strand passes axially on its way to said guide and extending in a direction transversely of the axis of said spool, a balanced twisting arm through which said shaft extends in fixed relation thereto and over which said strand passes directly to said guide, said tubular shaft having an extension extending forwardly from the attached portion of said twisting arm, and a support for a second supply spool engaged with said extension and supporting a second supply spool carrying a strand that is pulled off of said second spool and delivered to said guide, said second support comprising an arbor in downwardly offset relationship to the twisting arm axis on which the second spool is rotatably supported in a substantially stationary position.

3. In a machine such as described, a guide for intertwisted wire strands, means for pulling the strands through the guide, a support fora supply spool on which one of said strands is reeled and from which the strand is conducted to said guide,

a rotary tubular shaft through which said strand passes axially on its Way to said guide, a twisting arm fixed to said shaft over which said strand passes directly to said guide, said tubular shaft having an extension extending forwardly from the attached portion of said twisting arm, a support for a second supply spool engaged with said extension and supporting a second supply spool carrying a strand that is pulled off of said second spool and delivered to said guide, said second support comprising an arbor in downwardly offset relationship to the twisting arm axis on which the second spool is rotatably supported in a substantially stationary position, said. second spool support also comprising a bracket for said arbor that is hung from said shaft extension said bracket being provided with a take-off for said second spool.

i. In a machine such as described, a guide for intertwisted wire strands, means for pulling the strands through the guide, a support for a rotatable supply spool on which one of said strands reeled and from which the strand is conducted to said guide, a rotary tubular shaft through which said strand passes axially on its way to said guide and extending in a direction transversely of the axis of said spool, a balanced twistin arm through which said shaft extends in fixed relation thereto and over which said strand passes directly to said guide, said tubular shaft having an extension extending forwardly from the attached portion of said twisting arm, and a support for a second supply spool engaged with said extension and supporting a second supply spool carrying a strand that is pulled oil of said second spool and delivered to said guide, said second support comprising an arbor in downwardly offset relationship to the twisting arm axis on which the second spool is rotatably supported in a substantially stationary position, said second spool support also comprising a bracket for said arbor that is hung from said shaft extension, said bracket also supporting a take-off guide element for the strand on the spool.

5. Ina machine such as described, a guide for intertwisted wire components, a take-up means for pulling the components through the guide, a support for a supply spool on which one of the components is reeled and from which the component is conducted to said guide as said spool rotates, a balanced twisting flier arm rotatable about an axis horizontally and longitudinally disposed intermediate the ends of said arm and coinciding with a portion of said component being conducted toward said guide, said arm being a substantially radial arm over which said component is led from the rotation axis substantially to the tip of the arm, from which tip said component is led directly to said guide at an angle thereto, and means providing a substantially stationary support for a second supply spool carrying a second component that is pulled off of said second spool and delivered to said guide, said last-named means including a longitudinal hori- Zontal arbor located radially inwardly from the tip of said arm, said arbor having a carrying bracket and said bracket being hung from a shaft member concentric with the axis of rotation of the arm.

In a machine such as described, a guide for intertwisted wire components, a take-up means i or pulling the components through the guide, a support for a supply spool on which one of the components is reeled and from which the component is conducted to said guide as said spool rotates, a twisting flier arm rotatable about an axis horizontally and longitudinally disposed and coinciding with a portion of said component being conducted toward said guide, said arm being a substantially radial arm over which said cornponent is led from the rotation axis substantially to the tip of the arm, from which tip said component is led directly to said guide at an angle thereto, and means providing a substantially stationary support for a second supply spool carrying second component that is pulled off of said second spool and delivered to said guide, said last-named means including a longitudinal hori- Zontal arbor located radially inwardly from the tip of said arm, said arbor having an L-shaped carrying bracket and one leg of said bracket being hung from a shaft member concentric with the axis of rotation of the arm, the other leg of said bracket supporting a take-off pulley over which the wire component on said second spool is led.

'7. In a machine such as described, take-up means for pulling intertwisted strands through a suitable guide, a support for a supply spool on which one of the strands is reeled and from which the strand is conducted to said guide, a substantially radially extending rotary flier arm over the end of which said strand passes directly to said guide, a shaft for rotating said arm, a second spool delivering a second strand to said guide, a pivotally mounted i..-shaped member having one leg thereof hung from said shaft,

an arbor connected to said leg and rotatably mounting said second spool, the other leg of the L-shaped member mounting a take-off for said second strand, said L-shaped member being maintained in substantially stationary position by the Weight of said second spool as the second strand is delivered to said guide.

8. In a machine such as described, a machine bed having a receiving end and a delivery end, a pulling drum adjacent the delivery end, a guide for intertwisted strands located rearwardly of the pulling drum, a rotary shaft directed horizontally and longitudinally of the bed rearwardly of said guide, a flier arm fixed to said shaft and rotatable thereby, a rotary supply spool adjacent the receiving end of the bed from which a wire component is pulled so as to pass through said shaft axially thereof and outwardly to the tip of said arm, said component being reeved over the tip of said arm and then passed directly to the guide, a bracket for a second rotary spool located between said guide and said arm, a spool-supporting arbor extending forwardly from said bracket adjacent the lower end of the bracket, and a shaft-engaging cup-like member extending rearwardly from the bracket at an elevation above said arbor and serving to hang the spool from said shaft.

9. In a machine such as described, the combination of a shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a fiier arm fixed to said shaft, said shaft having an extension beyond the body of said arm, an L- shaped supporting bracket having a depending leg, a spool-supporting arbor extending from said leg in a forward direction, a cup-like member projecting from said leg in a rearward direction, supportedly connected to said extension, and a take-off for the spool carried by the other leg of said bracket.

10. In a machine such as described, the combination of a rotary driven shaft of tubular form, an inner tube revoluble in said shaft, said shaft having a lateral exit slot adjacent one end of said inner tube through which a wire component passing through the inner tube is led in a lateral direction, a flier arm fixed to said shaft having a pulley over which said Wire component is reeved, and means rotating said inner tube when said shaft is driven and in a direction opposite that in which said shaft is driven and inhibiting twistng of said wire component in said shaft.

11. In a machine such as described, a rotary flier arm, a tubular rotary shaft fixed to said arm for driving the same, an inner revoluble tubular member in said shaft through which a strand passes and is then directed through a lateral slot in said shaft and over said flier arm, and means whereby the inner member is driven in a reverse direction to inhibit twisting of said strand in said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

